The so-called tilt window, being characterized by having window sash structures and hardware which enable pivotal sash movement out of the supporting frame structure plane from a vertically closed position to an angularly disposed inward position and then angularly disposed vertical adjustment and pivotal horizontal locking thereof at a selected vertical position with the sash disposed on an axis normal to the support frame for purposes of cleaning, maintenance, ventillation, or otherwise, are well developed and relatively old in the art wherein representative teachings of both the tilt window structure and pivotal sash lock hardware therefor are generally as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 616,484 to Myers dated Dec. 27, 1898, U.S. Pat. No. 3,184,784 to Peters dated May 25, 1965, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,434,236 to Weidner et al dated Mar. 25, 1969. In all of the foregoing teachings it will be noted that the sash lock structure for a tilt window assembly operates on a pivotal cam shaft fixed to the sash frame and insertably engaged pivotally within a lobed opening in the sliding shoe member which is positioned to vertically slide along therewith within the window casing channel, so that upon pivotal deflection of the sash frame the cam shaft thereupon engages the lobed opening to thereby drive sash channel friction engagement elements into fixed contact with the sash channel and lock the adjustably displaced sash into a secured position.
As with all mechanical hardware components, due to breakage or wear, it at one time or another becomes necessary to replace or repair the same. Heretofore, in the replacement or repair of conventional unitarily constructed tilt window balance shoe hardware, absent a specially cut access notch in the Window casing jamb during production prefabrication procedures to later enable facilitated removal of a broken or worn balance shoe, it becomes necessary to remove and later reinstall the window sash counterbalance mechanism in order to remove and replace, or have reasonable access to repair, the balance shoe hardware.
The present invention relates to a vertically operable tilt window balance shoe assembly, and more particularly to a split tilt window balance shoe structure suitable as either original or replacement hardware being adapted for the replaceable installation and removal thereof within a window casing sash channel thereby eliminating the prefabricating cost of providing a specially cut window jamb notch to accommodate the after-installation removal of a worn and reinstallation of a replacement tilt window balance shoe, or if no such access notch has been provided then elimination of both the cost and inconvenience of additionally removing and reinstalling the window sash counterbalance mechanism in order to accomplish balance shoe replacement.
The instant invention overcomes many of the fabricating, maintenance, and repair problems and attendant cost factors as relates to conventional tilt window balance shoe employment, and although some of the elements of the present invention have been disclosed in the art there is no description determined therein of that split shoe construction and cooperative combination of elements resulting in the present structures and utility and economy features of novel merit as set forth hereinafter.